Specialty Dining reservations

[CintiPam]

CintiPam,

Tell him not to expect those Szechuan dishes (which I love as well) because Red Ginger is anything but Chinese. I suspect he will find something he'll like.

Have a great cruise!

 

Paulchili, if we ever manage to take a cruise together, you will realize immediately that he always finds something he likes to eat at any of the Oceania dining venues!:) I hasten to add, as do I! The food on board is so delicious.

 

We board one month from today!

[Paulchili]

Paulchili, if we ever manage to take a cruise together, you will realize immediately that he always finds something he likes to eat at any of the Oceania dining venues!:) I hasten to add, as do I! The food on board is so delicious.

 

We board one month from today!

 

The food on the Marina (overall) was better than ANY other ship we were ever on. That includes Regent and SilverSeas (and Oceania's R ships) among others.

In fact, I would sail on the Marina for the food sooner than any other reason :)

[BillPizzaiolo]

Hi CintiPam,

We were on the Regatta cruise with you. You are going to love Red Ginger and Jacques. We did. Red Ginger had some really interesting and different items on their menu one very excellent fish dish came wrapped in a banana leaf held together with a mini clothes pin and a sauce to die for. Get ready for some surprises.

Bill & Jeannie

[findacruise]

Hi CintiPam,

We were on the Regatta cruise with you. You are going to love Red Ginger and Jacques. We did. Red Ginger had some really interesting and different items on their menu one very excellent fish dish came wrapped in a banana leaf held together with a mini clothes pin and a sauce to die for. Get ready for some surprises.

Bill & Jeannie

 

Yes, and those pins can be "recycled" and used quite nicely if you do any hand laundry and use the clothesline in your cabin!

 

On a food note: my husband had them spice up the fried rice and lamb dish and loved it, and he's not even a person who normally orders lamb.

 

Enjoy.

[Paulchili]

Yes, and those pins can be "recycled" and used quite nicely if you do any hand laundry and use the clothesline in your cabin!

 

Enjoy.

 

It's the Sea Bass that comes with the clothes pin - the one that everybody raves about.

I rarely eat fish but even I liked this one.

[wripro]

Paul,

 

I thought you might want to sail on the Marina again for the trivia!!!!

[CintiPam]

Hi CintiPam,

We were on the Regatta cruise with you. You are going to love Red Ginger and Jacques. We did. Red Ginger had some really interesting and different items on their menu one very excellent fish dish came wrapped in a banana leaf held together with a mini clothes pin and a sauce to die for. Get ready for some surprises.

Bill & Jeannie

 

Hi, Bill and Jeannie, I remember our train ride together to Pisa/Lucca.

 

I look forward to sampling these two new restaurants. We are dining in Jacques for my "significant birthday" and the following evening in Red Ginger. When Jim posted his favorite Marina dishes from each restaurant a few months back, I pasted it into my trip notes. Looks like I will need a 20-day rather than 10-day cruise to try all the suggestions made to us by our cruisecritic friends!

[CintiPam]

Paul,

 

I thought you might want to sail on the Marina again for the trivia!!!!

 

Wripro, I have not read much about the trivia since Paul's post a while back about how the questions are now brutally impossible and how on Marina you have to sit in theater seats, affecting the camaraderie of the entire experience because you cannot gather round a small table and put your heads together.

 

Is there still some evening trivia in Martinis? That was more fun for me because the 4 PM trivia people in the Regatta/Nautica Lounge took it a bit too seriously for my tastes. People were looser/more fun at the 9 PM trivia.

[Paulchili]

Paul,

 

I thought you might want to sail on the Marina again for the trivia!!!!

 

They would have to find a new place for it first and that's not very likely :D

[Paulchili]

Wripro, I have not read much about the trivia since Paul's post a while back about how the questions are now brutally impossible and how on Marina you have to sit in theater seats, affecting the camaraderie of the entire experience because you cannot gather round a small table and put your heads together.

 

Not only is it affecting the camaraderie - it's practically dangerous to your health :D.

Actually our wonderful (and slender) "scribe" noticed bad bruising on her arm and finally figured out it came from turning around to the back row while discussing our answers and leaning her arm on the hard backrest of her chair.

AFAIK there is only musical trivia at night in the piano bar.

Apologies to OP for getting OT.

[wripro]

As far as I'm concerned the theater on the Marina is to be avoided period. It's one of the most uncomfortable venues I've ever been in. What were they thinking with those little desktops you pull out like a school child for drinks. The only reason I liked trivia on the crossing was the great people on my team.

[raffeer]

As far as I'm concerned the theater on the Marina is to be avoided period. It's one of the most uncomfortable venues I've ever been in. What were they thinking with those little desktops you pull out like a school child for drinks. The only reason I liked trivia on the crossing was the great people on my team.

 

I completely agree with Wripro on this. The theater brought back memories of the auditorium at PS32 in both comfort and decor. Definitely cast a blight on Trivia.

[Dmgmd50]

Hi, Bill and Jeannie, I remember our train ride together to Pisa/Lucca.

 

 

We will on the Marina in October and were planning to take the train to Lucca. Did you find it worthwhile? (We've been to Florence a few times and thought a day trip to Lucca might be a nice alternative.) How did you get from the ship to the Livorno train station?

 

Any information would be appreciated.

[Orange County Murphy]

Paul and Henry,

 

The humongous bruise has faded, but not the fond memories!

 

Colleen, aka "Scribe"

[lyndenfa]

As far as I'm concerned the theater on the Marina is to be avoided period. It's one of the most uncomfortable venues I've ever been in. What were they thinking with those little desktops you pull out like a school child for drinks.

 

I agree also; desktops were sized for small people or at least thin and when you had it down you were confined to your seat....no bending

Lynne

[Oceans&Rivers]

Wripro, I have not read much about the trivia since Paul's post a while back about how the questions are now brutally impossible and how on Marina you have to sit in theater seats, affecting the camaraderie of the entire experience because you cannot gather round a small table and put your heads together.

 

Is there still some evening trivia in Martinis? That was more fun for me because the 4 PM trivia people in the Regatta/Nautica Lounge took it a bit too seriously for my tastes. People were looser/more fun at the 9 PM trivia.

 

Sitting in theater seats, if there's no "wiggle room" to face each other (if that's the case), does sound a bit difficult for trivia play.

 

What does it mean to take trivia too seriously? I think it is enormous fun, but don't like it when teams grade their own answers as opposed to switching papers with other teams for grading. I also don't like it when people give themselves a "half right". I think it's quite possible to follow the rules of the game and still laugh about it.

 

I like difficult questions. If I don't know the answer, then I will learn something new from the game that I won't likely forget again. To this day, I will never misspell the word "tomorrow" because I remember missing it in an elementary school spelling bee.

 

Can you give us an example of what you consider a "brutally impossible" question? I haven't yet had the opportunity to play trivia on Oceania.

[Paulchili]

Paul and Henry,

 

The humongous bruise has faded, but not the fond memories!

 

Colleen, aka "Scribe"

 

Colleen,

I am glad that you have "recovered" and do not have any permanent battle scars :).

We too have only fond memories of our trivia team.

Happy sailings.

[wripro]

Colleen,

 

Glad the bruises have faded. You are right, the memories linger on.

 

I'm leaving for the Regatta a week from Tuesday though I don't think I'll be playing Trivia since it's such a port intensive itinerary in Alaska.

[Paulchili]

Colleen,

 

Glad the bruises have faded. You are right, the memories linger on.

 

I'm leaving for the Regatta a week from Tuesday though I don't think I'll be playing Trivia since it's such a port intensive itinerary in Alaska.

 

wripro,

Have a wonderful cruise!

[LuAnn]

We will on the Marina in October and were planning to take the train to Lucca. Did you find it worthwhile? (We've been to Florence a few times and thought a day trip to Lucca might be a nice alternative.) How did you get from the ship to the Livorno train station?

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

and just loved the entire day!! We took a cab from the ship to the train station (there were cabs available a short distance from the ship at the port gate entrance) and then the train to Lucca and back. Lucca is a lovely city...we found a great restaurant for lunch and wondered around the city. I think it's a great alternate!! LuAnn

[wripro]

Thanks, Paul.

 

Re: trains to Lucca a taxi to the train station is the easiest way to get there. I've done it before and will be doing it again in October. I just love Lucca. Be sure and have lunch there. Great food.

[Dmgmd50]

Thanks, Paul.

 

Re: trains to Lucca a taxi to the train station is the easiest way to get there. I've done it before and will be doing it again in October. I just love Lucca. Be sure and have lunch there. Great food.

 

LuAnn and wripro: Thanks for the advice. Any specific restaurants you would suggest?

[wripro]

I can't remember the name of the restaurant we ate in but it was on a main square and had a large outdoor terrace. Sorry I can't be more specific but I bet you won't find a bad meal anywhere.

[neilrr]

Unlikely you'll be able to figure those out in advance. We typically take a look at the menu for the MDR in the morning/afternoon and see if anything suits. If not we held for Tapas on the Terrace - often many of the same menu items but with flexibility if you are willing to be a bit flexible with how things are put together. They are most accommodating.

 

caribbeansun - Thank you for the information. I will keep your suggestions in mind.

 

Note to All - Red Ginger and Jacques sound wonderful. I love Pad Thai. We will be on the Regatta and I understand that there are only two specialty restaurants. Is there something like Red Ginger or Jacques on Regatta? Do they do some Asian dishes in the MDR or the other restaurants since they do not have the specific restaurants?

[Paulchili]

Note to All - Is there something like Red Ginger or Jacques on Regatta? Do they do some Asian dishes in the MDR or the other restaurants since they do not have the specific restaurants?

 

 

Unfortunately - no & no. If they do something Asian in the MDR usually it's Asian in name only :)